As a result of their deliberations committees may make recommendations which they include in their reports for the consideration of the House of Commons or the Government. Recommendations related to this study are listed below.

A. Expanding the Canada Health Act to include Prescription Drugs Dispensed Outside Hospitals

Recommendation 1

That the Government of Canada work in collaboration with provinces and territories, health care providers, patients and Indigenous communities to develop a common voluntary national prescription drug formulary.

Recommendation 2

That the Government of Canada amend the Canada Health Act to include drugs prescribed by a licensed health care practitioner and dispensed outside of hospitals in accordance with a common voluntary national formulary, as part of the definition of an “insured health service” under the Act.

Recommendation 3

That the Government of Canada provide additional funding to provinces and territories through the Canada Health Transfer to support the inclusion of prescription drugs dispensed outside of hospitals as an insured service under provincial and territorial public health insurance programs under the Canada Health Act.

Recommendation 4

That the Government of Canada undertake consultations with employers, unions, private plans and Canadians at large to identify possible approaches towards financing the expansion of the Canada Health Act to include prescription drugs dispensed outside of hospitals as an insured service.

Recommendation 5

That the Government of Canada undertake consultations with First Nations and Inuit communities to determine whether it is their preference to obtain prescription drug coverage under the Canada Health Act or through the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program, with the ultimate goal of recognizing the authority of First Nations and Inuit peoples in providing health services to their communities.

B. Development of a Common Voluntary National Prescription Drug Formulary

Recommendation 6

That the Government of Canada apply gender-based plus analysis in the development of the common voluntary national prescription drug formulary.

Recommendation 7

That the Government of Canada share the costs of the prescription drugs listed on the common voluntary national formulary and associated professional fees with the provinces and territories through the Canada Health Transfer.

C. Improving Drug Pricing and Reimbursement Processes

Recommendation 8

That the Government of Canada, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, expand the mandate of the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health to require it to maintain the common national voluntary prescription drug formulary and provide guidance to health care providers to support its use.

Recommendation 9

That the Government of Canada provide the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health with additional funding to expand its capacity to undertake therapeutic reviews of high cost specialty drugs, oncology drugs and drugs for rare diseases, as well as develop expertise to support the negotiation of managed entry agreements for these drugs.

Recommendation 10

That the Government of Canada, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, develop a transparent decision-making framework for price negotiations for pharmaceutical drugs undertaken by the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance based upon best practices.

Recommendation 11

That the Government of Canada, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, designate the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance as the common agent for the bulk buying of prescription drug pharmaceuticals.

Recommendation 12

That the Government of Canada align the mandate of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board with the policies and priorities of the Canada Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health.

Recommendation 13

That the Government of Canada amend the Patent Act and/or establish regulations requiring that patented drug manufacturers reduce their prices after 15 years, if no generic substitute for a patented prescription drug is available, in line with practices in other jurisdictions.

Recommendation 14

That the Government of Canada investigate the market practices of the pharmaceutical sector, including those of patented and generic drug manufacturers, wholesalers and retail pharmacies to identify opportunities to promote price reductions of prescription drugs through greater competition.

Recommendation 15

That the Minister of Health enter into discussions with provincial and territorial counterparts with the aim of reducing the delays in access to new non-prescription medicines by integrating the drug scheduling process into the federal non-prescription drug approval process.

D. Improved Data and Information Systems

Recommendation 16

That the Government of Canada collaborate more closely with the provinces, territories and the private sector to accelerate the development of a complete national data system on the utilization of prescription pharmaceuticals in Canada to support the management of prescription drug coverage programs in Canada.

Recommendation 17

That Health Canada, Canadian Institute for Health Information and Canada Health Infoway Inc. collaborate to develop a national real-time electronic adverse drug reaction reporting system.

Recommendation 18

That the Government of Canada request that the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer make the data commissioned for their study of the federal cost of a new national pharmacare program available to the public and other government agencies.